US-based Baptist Memorial Health Care has concluded its merger with Anderson Regional Health System, which is based in Meridian, Mississippi.  

The merger process was initiated through a shared mission agreement signed in October 2023. 

Based in Tennessee, Baptist Memorial is one of the largest healthcare systems in the south of the US, with 22 hospitals, a regional cancer facility, over 100 clinics, several speciality facilities and services and a healthcare university that includes a college of osteopathic medicine.  

Anderson Regional includes two hospitals, a cancer facility and several clinics. 

With this new merger, Baptist Memorial will become the largest healthcare system in Mississippi, with a total of 24 hospitals of which 12 are in Mississipi. 

In 2017, Baptist merged with Mississippi Baptist Health System following the signing of a shared mission agreement.  

It has regional hospitals in Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee. 

Baptist Memorial Health Care president and CEO Jason Little said: “I am excited to welcome Anderson Regional to the Baptist family. 

“With similar missions and close geographic proximity, we serve a comparable patient population who face many of the same issues.  

“By joining forces, we can combine our resources and expertise to help enrich the health of the community and ensure ongoing access to high-quality and advanced medical services throughout East Central Mississippi and West Central Alabama.” 

Anderson Regional Health System president and CEO G Anderson said: “Our staff at Anderson Regional is excited to officially join Baptist Memorial Health Care.  

“This is a new era for Anderson, and an opportunity to continue my grandfather’s legacy for health care in Meridian. He started Anderson just 12 months before the Great Depression, and through creativity, ingenuity and determination made the hospital a success.  

“His focus was on the future, and merging with Baptist Memorial allows us to stay laser-focused on the future of providing quality health care for this region.” 

The merger will feature the renaming of Anderson Regional Hospitals to Baptist Anderson Regional Medical Center and Baptist Anderson Regional Medical Center-South.  

Among the other changes to be undertaken will include updating Anderson Regional’s electronic health record system to the Epic electronic health record system.